Royal Thai Embassy Manila Hours of Operation

Tourist visa applications take approximately 2 working days to process.

You may pick up your processed visa application between the hours of 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday.

Royal Thai Embassy, Manila – Hours of Operation

Thailand Tourist Visa Length of Stay

The tourist visa is valid for 60 days from the date of your arrival in Thailand. This may be extended for 30 days by going to an immigration office in Thailand.

Make a note, that in the past, the Thai Embassy in Manila required me to show that I had an onward departure ticket within the 60-day period of the original visa.

I had already booked an onward ticket close to the end of the 90-day limit. I tried to explain that I planned to extend for 30 days once I got to Thailand but they wouldn’t go for it. I had to rebook my onward travel to indicate I would depart within the 60 days of the original visa. I’m not sure what the current policy is, but keep this in mind. Even if you plan to extend in Thailand, you may need to show the embassy an airline booking or some type of onward departure within the 60-day period.

The best way to do this (in my opinion) is to book a cheap room in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Show the embassy staff the hotel voucher. Explain that you plan to take a bus to the border crossing at Poipet because you’re going to Siem Reap to tour Angkor Wat. It’s worked before. Once you get to Thailand, just cancel the booking or eat the 8 bucks it cost to book the room. You can extend at immigration and book your true onward flight.

Either way, you’ve got to show them some type of documentation at the embassy in Manila.

Print Shop Near the Thai Embassy

If you need copies or photos for your visa application, there is a print shop on Rada Street called Mackim Prints. It’s near the Thai Embassy. If you walk out of the Thai Embassy, turn right. The print shop is down on the right, next to a Mini-Stop. It’s only about a one to two-minute walk. We needed to get photos and they charged us 80 Pesos.

Print Shop Near Thailand Embassy in ManilaPrint Shop Near Thailand Embassy in Manila

Random Notes

I decided to publish this article to try and clear up the confusion over what they require for the visa.

When I went to the Thai Embassy in Manila a few weeks ago, there was a Western guy at the window arguing with the clerk. She asked him for several of the above mentioned documents, which he did not have.

His point was that nowhere did it say he needed a copy of his bank statement or the hotel booking in Thailand. Also, he told the girl that he was staying with a friend and not at a hotel. She insisted that he show a lease agreement or a hotel booking. The guy told her it sucked to have to book a hotel room for one night and eat the cost when he had a free place to stay. He left, pissed off and frustrated.

I spoke to the Filipina and she said that the same issues happen every day. She said the staff had suggested that the requirements be posted on the Embassy’s website, but it hadn’t happened.

The list of documents I have provided above came straight from the clerk working the window as of July 2017. If you find anything to be inaccurate, blame her and not me.

Here is one more tidbit of information I’ll mention. If for some reason you renew your passport at your country’s embassy while you’re in the Philippines, make sure you bring the old passport. The clerks have to see your entry stamp into the Philippines. Therefore, you’ll have to submit the old passport as well as the new one since the entry stamp will be in that book.

Philippines Citizens

If you are a citizen of the Philippines, there is a second page to the visa application that you need to fill out.

If you are a foreign guy trying to get a tourist visa for your Filipina girlfriend, you need to write a sponsorship letter for her. You will also need to provide the embassy with a copy of your passport bio page, and your bank account showing at least $1,000 USD. If you have a Thailand visa already, you’ll need to make a copy of that page as well. If not, just let the clerk know you’ll get the visa on arrival at the airport. All of this is assuming that your Filipina does not have a bank account of her own. If your Filipina is a businesswoman, then she can probably fend for herself. A girl from the province is going to need you to write the sponsorship letter if I had to bet on it.

The sponsorship letter needs to have some basic info like how long you’ve been together, the nature of your relationship, the fact that you will support her during her stay in Thailand, and things like that. I actually hand wrote the sponsorship letter while there at the embassy. Use some language like, “I will support her during our vacation in Thailand to include travel, lodging, food, medical care, and any other expenses incurred…” At the top, I just titled the document, “Sponsorship Letter”.

The tourist visa is free for Philippines citizens.

Extending Your Tourist Visa in Thailand

If you arrive by air without a visa, you’ll get 30 days. The visa upon arrival can be extended for 15 days by visiting an immigration office in Thailand.

Make a note that foreigners are technically required to register their address at immigration in Thailand within 24 hours of arrival. The reality is that most tourists do not do this. If you stay for 30 days and then leave, it’s not an issue. It does become a small issue if you go to extend your visa. If you did not register your address with immigration, you will have to pay a 1,600 Thai Baht fine for failing to register.

If you receive the tourist visa from the Thai Embassy in Manila, you will get 60 days. This can be extended for 30 days at an immigration office in Thailand. The same applies about registering your address at immigration within 24 hours.

Do I Really Need to Get a Tourist Visa from the Thai Embassy in Makati? Can I Just Get the Visa Upon Arrival?

If you are a citizen of the Philippines, or you’re from a country that Thailand gives its citizens visas upon arrival (Be 100% sure of this!), you probably don’t need to get the tourist visa from the embassy. The question is, how long do you intend on staying in Thailand? If your trip is less than 30 days, just get the visa upon arrival. Make sure you have at least 6 months validity left on your passport and an onward flight out of Thailand. That’s all you’ll have to show the airlines in Manila to board the flight. Again, you can extend a tourist visa upon arrival by another 15 days if needed by visiting an immigration office in Thailand.

Here’s a quick note about this as well. A few months ago (around June 2018 or so) when I went to get my girlfriend a tourist visa, the clerk questioned us as to why we were applying for the 60-day visa and not just getting the visa upon arrival. For some reason, I had booked my girlfriend’s return flight within the 30-day window. So, when the clerk saw that her return flight was within 30 days, her point was that my girlfriend didn’t really need the 60-day visa. She could just get the 30 days upon arrival and save the Embassy the paperwork. I pointed out to her that we may want to stay longer than 30 days so we needed the 60-day visa. She reluctantly submitted the paperwork and we did in fact get the visa. Maybe the clerk was just having a bad day. Just thought I’d share that experience with you.

You’re Going to Love Thailand

Good luck on getting your Thailand Tourist Visa. It shouldn’t be a problem as long as you have all of the required documents. You’ll love Thailand, I promise.

If you have any info to add to this page or corrections, please leave a comment below so others can benefit. Thanks.

64 COMMENTS

Thanks for the useful information. Great to have your insight as the consulates seem to add new stipulations each year with out telling anyone. I only have a copy of my bank statement on the Thai bank’s app on my phone. I go there tomorrow hoping it’s enough.

Thanks Mark, I got there at 10.15 am Thursday with a copy of:
1. Thai Rent agreement (b) landlady’s ID
2. 2 Photos
3. Onward flight from Thailand
4. Tourist visa application form
5. passport copy
6. Copy of my income statement from my Thai bank via Kasikorn APP
I was asked for a copy of my flight back ticket back to Thailand as well! The printers down the road was broken so I ran 3 blocks and finally got back to the consulate at 11.55. You dont get your passport and answer until 2 business days after the day you apply!
Then she said you will get your answer on Monday!

Mark, excellent article and just the thing I was looking for. I’d like to ask about the bank statement showing at least $1,000 US dollars. This may seem obvious but I’m not quite getting it. For a Philippine citizen traveling to Thailand would this bank statement be in the Philippines? I don’t see how they could open a bank statement in Thailand until they’ve gone there. So for the bank statement, would that be from a Philippine bank? Thank you, Scott

The clerk said that the amount shown on the statement has to be the equivalent of at least $1,000 U.S. dollars.

So, yes, it’s ok to show them your Philippines bank account. If you have an account in the Philippines, you need to have roughly 51,000 pesos in the account.

Also note that as a citizen of the Philippines, you will have to fill out a second page to the visa application. I don’t have a copy to show you here but it asks for more information which includes financial questions if I remember correctly.

I don’t know what the requirements are for Namibia passport holders, my friend. The only thing I can advise is that the Thai Embassy in Manila does issue tourist visas and seems to be a full-service embassy. You could obviously try to call or email them, but I’d say you will probably have to stop by there in person to get your questions answered. That’s my best guess. If you have a friend here in Manila, send him/her over there to make sure.

Hi, I am filipino and have residence permanent visa in japan, and I’m going to Philippine for vacation, and planning to go to Thailand too,
Do I need to get visa to going thailand, which i will flight from manila?

You will get 30 days upon arrival in Thailand at the airport. That may be extended for 15 days at an immigration office in Thailand. If you are planning to stay longer, you need to get a tourist visa at the Thai Embassy in Manila. You’ll have 60 days, which can be extended for another 30 in Thailand.

I can only tell you what the lady there told me. She said you have to show the equivalent of $1,000 U.S. dollars. Or, if you are traveling with your boyfriend, he can write a sponsorship letter saying that he will support you during your stay. He will have to show the $1,000 U.S. dollars in his bank account.

As a citizen of the Philippines, you can travel to Thailand and get 30 days visa on arrival. You don’t have to get the Thailand tourist visa in advance. The benefit of getting the tourist visa from the embassy in Manila is that you will get 60 days instead of 30.

Thank you for this article. This enlightens me on how to apply for visa to Thailand. Im a filipino and wishes to travel and extend my visit in Thailand for another month.
I would like to ask about registering the address in immigration. Is that the one in white paper that the flight attendants hand over before the plane lands and need to submit to the immigration officer?

Good question. No, the document you get on the flight is the arrival and departure card. When you enter Thailand, Immigration will take the arrival card. Make sure you keep the departure card with your passport because they will take that when you leave Thailand.

The rule about registering your address is different from the arrival and departure cards. You are supposed to go to Immigration and register your address within 24 hours of arrival or if you change your address while in Thailand. It’s free to register, but you have to show your hotel info or rental agreement. The Immigration folks will give you a piece of paper in your passport that says you registered your address. When you go to extend your visa, they will check to see if you have this piece of paper. If you do not, you have to pay 1,600 Baht. In reality, most tourists never register their address. It’s only an issue if you go to extend your visa. If you didn’t register, just have an extra 1,600 Baht with you.

Hi, I’m paranoid as I only knew today that Thailand requires 6 months validity of passport. I will travel to Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Phuket from 28 July-August 7. My passport will expire on the 5th of January 2019. I’m just wondering if there’s possibility that I will be denied by the immigration.

From what I understand, you can only apply for the 6-month visa in your home country. I may be wrong, but I think that’s the protocol. That’s why more people don’t choose this option. Nobody wants to go back to the West just to get the 6-month visa. Let me know your thoughts. Mark

Hi Mark,
Your blog is very informative. I hope you can answer my question. I plan to fly to Bangkok in December 2018. Can I apply from now or should I apply on a date closer to my trip -let’s say, November-? I’m asking because sometimes your visa is approved and you have a specific timeframe to enter the country and if it is too early, chances are I would have to apply for a visa for a second time. I’m asking because now I have the time to get all the documents and submit the application. Thanks a lot for your help!

I’m not 100% sure but I just looked at one of my old tourist visas and here’s what the rule appears to be. You have 90 days from the date the tourist visa is issued by the embassy, to actually enter Thailand. Once you enter, then your time (60 days) starts from that day. So, if you plan on flying to Bangkok on December 15th, you could have your tourist visa issued on or after October 1st to be on the safe side.

Hope that helps. If that info is not correct, please stop back by and let us know.

I’m a filipino currently here in Dubai and I’m going to philippines for vacation and planning to visit bangkok for 3days only. Do i have to visit personally to thai embassy in makati for the visa or I can go directly to the airport with my valid passport, roundtrip tickets and bank statement? Thanks

If you’re only going to stay in Thailand for 3 days, you don’t need to get the visa from the Thai embassy in Makati. Just make sure you have a valid passport and a return ticket or onward flight out of Thailand within 30 days of the date of your arrival. With the visa upon arrival, you usually don’t have to show them anything at the airport in Bangkok other than your passport and the arrival card. The flight attendants will give you the arrival card to fill out when you’re on the flight to Bangkok. However, it’s a good idea to have your bank statement, your employment information, and some cash on hand in case they do decide to question your ability to support yourself while in the country. As an OFW working in Dubai, you shouldn’t have any problems (In my personal opinion).

Good luck on your journey to Thailand. It’s a wonderful country and I think you’ll love it here. (Especially the Food!)

After your trip, drop another comment and let us know if you had any issues getting through immigration.

Just wondering if it is possible to to print flight tickets, bank statements, etc at that print shop you mention next to the embassy, using my own laptop. Or do they have computers available for use for this purpose?

I only had to make copies when I went there, but they did have a couple of computers the employees were working on. Being that it’s a print shop, I’d assume you can either email them the docs or transfer via USB. I’d say that using your own laptop to print is not an option. There didn’t seem to be any computers there that customers could access, either.

I printed my documents at the hotel. It’s probably easier that you do the same and just use the print shop for making copies of anything you forgot. That’s my recommendation.

If you say you’re going to “study with full scholarship”, technically I think you need an Education Visa. I’ll throw that out there in case any lawyers or immigration folks read this. The school that you’re going to will have to assist you with a mountain of paperwork to complete and submit to the Thai Ministry of Education & Immigration. You will have to take the documents and submit them to the Thai Embassy in Makati (or any Embassy) for approval. You’ll need to get this done weeks ahead of your travel dates. It’s not exactly a quick and easy process.

However… If you’re just planning to travel to Thailand on a tourist visa for tourism purposes:

If you get the visa on arrival (30 days) and then extended for 15 more days at an Immigration office, you would still be a few days short by my calculations. I’d say you need at least 50 days. You’ll need to get a tourist visa from the embassy in Makati ahead of time. This visa will give you 60 days, which can be extended by another 30 in Thailand. That will give you plenty of time to arrive at your destination and spend a full 45 days there.

Thank-you for this I read and went in with all the required documents and then some.Just last year I was living in jakarta and got a visa to Thailand in two days so you can imagine my suprise when the nice lady told me it would take over a month to process the visa.I was asked to authenticate my passport,iCard.
I am from Zimbabwe so for the African applicants it’s worth noting your visa will be processed in a month or more and there is a whole laundry list of requirements.

Just recently used your info to get our visa’s to Thailand. One other thing they asked us for was proof of marriage. My wife is Taiwanese and I am from the USA. Of course we didn’t have our marriage certificate with us, but luckily Taiwan puts spouses names on the back of the ID card which we had. Not sure why they need that, but they did. It’s all good we got our visa.

The question is, what did you do for POOT at the airport when checking in? We told them we plan on taking the bus to Cambodia, which we will, but we hope to extend another 30 days and then head to Cambodia whenever. I don’t want hassles at the airport getting denied entry to the plane.

Thanks for the info about needing a marriage license. I’ll update the article above to warn others. Curious though, do you think they are asking everyone if they’re married as a standard question? I’m assuming it was because you both went to the window together but you never know.

I’d say for anyone reading this, that, if you don’t have your marriage license, just go apply on Monday and have your spouse apply on Tuesday. Maybe that will work? If they still require a marriage license, go to Thailand and get the 30 days visa on arrival. Like I say in the article, unless you are sure that you will be staying for more than 30 days, it’s not worth the hassle to get the visa ahead of time at the embassy.

The proof of onward travel is always a hassle with the airlines, especially Cebu Pacific Air. Most people I know buy a throwaway ticket from Bangkok to Siem Reap or wherever is cheapest. Problem solved but you’re out $75 bucks.

Here’s how I save money, but in my experience it means you have some explaining to do when checking in: I book one night at the cheapest hostel listed on Agoda in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I can usually get a booking for less than $10 USD. Now, Cebu Pacific Air check-in agents want to see an onward flight booking. They can’t think outside that box most of the time. They’ve been conditioned to see a flight itinerary and I’ll have to guess that they may even have to input a flight number into their system? Anyway, I usually have to explain to them that you can travel throughout the region on a bus. I’m going from Thailand to Cambodia via a bus and am crossing the border at Poipet. That usually means nothing to them and I get a blank stare. I then show them the hotel booking in Siem Reap from Agoda. I explain that I’m crossing at a land border. The bus I am taking doesn’t have online bookings. You pay on the bus, just like here in the Philippines. When I say that, the check-in agent can immediately relate and understand why I can’t show a bus ticket. Most buses here in the PI don’t have online bookings, either. You pay the conductor when the bus gets underway. I usually have a printed Google map showing the route from Bangkok to Poipet and I will highlight it. It just adds fluff to my case. As they say, if you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit. I’ll print out a few articles on Angkor Wat so it looks like I have a nice case file put together. This long-winded explanation and method has always worked for me. I can’t guarantee it will work the next time or if it will work for you. The embassy has always accepted my hotel booking as proof of onward travel. The airlines are where I’ve had to talk my way through it.

Let me know how it goes for you, my friend. Enjoy your time in Thailand.

Thanks for the info, I have booked a ticket I can cancel within 24 Hrs, so I will cancel it when we arrive, hope that works and I can avoid all the hassles. We are flying AirAsia, so we will see how it goes.

As for the marriage license, I think it was just because of our situation. We have passports from two different countries, with different last names. All the bookings, hotels, bank accounts were in my name, and yes we went together. I do not think it is a normal question, I think if you went separately, like you suggest, or even have reservations and accounts in each name, they probably wouldn’t ask.

Actually in Malaysia, if you will go there it is much easier. No questions ask, no any other documents needed except for return ticket and passport and the form. You will just need to apply in the morning and right after 3 days you will get you 90-day visa pronto.

In the Philippines, no wonder that this country suffers a lot because of trust issues, they don’t trust their own compatriots and yet make it more harder for them to get out of the country. Second, the people who works here acts like a tiger and they are so suspicious all the time. What work can you get from Thailand without getting busted by the authorities anyway? They need to let the police of thailand do their own thing instead of these clerks acting like they are the person of authority. That’s what I have noticed about Filipinos as well, they love to power play.

Thanks so much for all the info. So, if I book a refundable room with, say, Agoda, in both Thailand for when I’m arriving, and then Laos or Cambodia as you mentioned for within the 60 days of the Visa, this should cover requirements? Also, do you know if the Visa process in the same at the consulate in Cebu? Thanks so much. Kate.

Hey Mark, really informative post. Thanks! By any chance, is the $1000 for one person? I’m applying for a tourist visa with my son, and does that mean I need to show them $2000 in my bank statement?

And in the “occupation” part, do you think it’s OK to put in there “marketing”? I’m a freelancer doing marketing work (copywriting, SEO writing, digital marketing stuff), and I’m not sure if it’s alright to disclose that I’ll continue working with my clients online on a tourist visa. Or is freelancing work still okay to do with this type of visa?

I’m not sure about that. I’d say that if your son is a minor, they probably won’t require you to show additional funds. If he’s over 18, they might. I just don’t know but that’s a good question.

As far as the occupation part, it doesn’t matter because they don’t care. Just put marketing and you’ll be fine. Work from your hotel room or the beach and nobody will know your business. Here’s a word of caution, though. When in Thailand, avoid the “Co-Working” cafes / offices. The cops occasionally raid them because they think everyone in there is working without a permit (which technically they are).

hello good day …
i only have a question i am from Philippines filipina woman..
i am planing to visit in bangkok i am going to meet my boyfriend there for only 3 weeks stay in bankok ..do i need to apply visa?or do i need to go to makati embassy to apply ..please help me i am curious .

If you’re only going to stay in Thailand for 3 weeks, you don’t need to get a visa ahead of time. You will receive a 30-day visa stamp upon your arrival in Bangkok. Make sure you read this entire page and all of the comments since you are traveling alone to meet your boyfriend. You will probably get interviewed by Philippines Immigration in Manila as you are leaving. If you don’t have some documentation of the relationship, they might not allow you to leave the Philippines. Hope this helps. Good luck and enjoy your trip to Thailand. You’ll love it there. Mark

Hi good day,
Can i ask a question im a filipina currently working in oman,im here in pi now for my vacation and my foreign boyfriend inviting me to spend for 2 weeks with him in Thailand. What requirements i need to show at the immigration and also do i need to tell them that my boyfriend invited me or i just say i go there for a tour.?

Read the entire article and all of the comments. For only 3 weeks, you can get a visa upon arrival at the airport in Bangkok. But you need to be aware of the immigration process when exiting the Philippines. Again, read all of the comments so you know what to expect. Good luck and have a good time in Thailand. – Mark

Read the entire article and all of the comments here in the comment section. You’re going to get interviewed by Philippines Immigration when you try to leave the airport in Manila. If you read everything on this page, you’ll know what to expect. Good luck and enjoy your trip to Thailand. Mark

Hello Mark, thank you for informative post!
But I have some questions about bank statement. Maybe you know, can I show check from ATM machine with the balance on my bank account? Will be it ok for them?
How many tourist visas did you have before in your passport when you applied for tourist visa in Makati? I got previous in Denpasar and Kuala Lumpur before. And now trying to understand can they give me third visa or not? Yes, I know some other consulates more easy with it, but I’m interesting to visit Philippines now

hi mark… i will travel to Thailand this jan16 but my problem is i dont have bank statement.. but i have the ticket going there and back here in the Philippines..is the immigration here in the Philippines will not allow me to go to Thailand bcos i dont have bank statement but i do have a sponsorship letter from my boyfriend do think it will be enough?

The bank statement is required if you are trying to get your tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Makati. But, it sounds like you are just going to get the visa upon arrival in Bangkok. Therefore…

When you try to exit the Philippines, immigration is probably going to interview you. There is no “rule” that says you must show a bank statement to the Philippines immigration officials (that I’m aware of). Obviously it’s better to have a statement to show them, IF you have a bank account. The decision to allow you to fly or not is up to the immigration officials who interview you. It’s their discretion and judgment as to whether or not they allow you to exit. They will want to see proof of the relationship and proof that you have financial support while abroad. Just make sure to take any receipts where your boyfriend has sent you money (Western Union), have some photographs available to show them of you and your boyfriend together, if your boyfriend has met your family be sure to have those photographs available, and Facebook posts of the two of you together, maybe a copy of the hotel booking where you will be staying in Thailand, copy of the return flight, etc. Make sure your cell phone is charged because they may want to look at your Facebook if you have photos of your boyfriend on there. The immigration officials are trying to combat human trafficking and to ensure you have enough money to take care of yourself and get back home to the Philippines. They may ask you about how much money you have with you. I recommend you have at LEAST 20,000 pesos with you to show them. As a side note, one time, my girlfriend got interviewed by Thailand immigration when she got to Bangkok. They asked her to show 20,000 Thai Baht (about 33,000 Philippine Pesos). So, definitely make sure you have some funds available. I’d tell your boyfriend to send you 35,000 pesos travel money.

A few years ago, my girlfriend got “offloaded” (immigration refused to allow her to exit the Philippines) because she was traveling by herself. There was no specific reason given. The official just told her that she needed to have me (the boyfriend) present to do a financial affidavit before she could fly. I had to fly to Cebu and travel with her. We got interviewed by immigration when we departed but everything was fine.

So, to answer your initial question, I can’t really say. If you’re getting your visa at the Thai embassy in Makati, then yes. You 100% have to show them a bank statement. If you are just departing the Philippines, it’s the decision of the immigration officials, based on your interview, as to whether or not they allow you to fly. Just have your documents together to show the officers at the airport in Manila. Dress nice and be respectful.

thank you for your advice.. im already here in Thailand without any hassle the immigration in the Philippines just ask my were i will stay here in Thailand.. ask how long .. and were i will stay…. and i have work..they ask for my I.D and a leave letter that a proof that i ask permission to have a vacation…

about here in the immigration in Thailand they are so nice just look on my passport and form that i fill up wen i was on the plane… then after showing it all went smooth and got a tamp on my passport…

thank you so much for the advice that you give…you are right just look on their eyes and answer the question that they will ask…

Hi mark thanks the info but mine is like complicated hope you help
I have husband foreigner holding retirement visa in thailand,me and our daughter living in philippi es,he want us to stay there in thailand for long time and i dont understand what is the requirements for me and my daughter hopeyou help about the requirements thanks

I have question, I am a ladyboy from Philippines and I’m planning to go to Thailand to have my breast implant and definitely I will stay there for one month because I will be needed the regular check up every week. Do I need to book a hotel for 1 month there or I’ll just walk in there and find a dorm so I could less the expenses? Or do I need to get visa? I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you 😘

Very helpful post, Mark. We could apply before leaving the USA, but we’ve read the visa has to be used – I guess enter Thailand and/or exit the Kingdom – within 90-days of issue. We will be in the Philippines during that window. Therefore, it seems we are going to have to apply for our Thailand visa while in the PI, so this is good info for us, assuming that nothing significant has changed since the original post. Thanks!

One question: does the Thai embassy require us to leave our original passports, or just the copies? I only ask because that will limit travel within the Philippines until they approve the visa.

Yes, the embassy will keep your passport. Make sure you have a copy of your passport bio page and the page showing the Philippines entry stamp to keep with you. If you’re going to be in Thailand for less than 30 days, don’t even bother with this process. Just get the 30-day visa on arrival at the airport. Enjoy your trip, my friend.

I attended the embassy in Makati to obtain 60/90 day tourist visa for me and my Phillipina partner.

They seemed friendly enough, but quitely change their poilcy at the drop of a hat. They questioned my 2 day hotel booking, screenshot of my bank acount (full of information). if you use a bank statement PDF make sure it contains enough information, and sponsorship letter. The sponsorship letter carries little weight these days due to policy change.

With the benefit of hindsight I should have:

1 Helped her open an account in her name put 1000 USD (Its the only reliable method!) the account and transferred the money later (can also be a blood relative AC of the Phillpina, IF they are willing to cooperate).

2 Had an existing rental agreement in thailand.

I was sceptical about using an embassy at a non-border country. Anyway, we were successful, so here is the advice.

Prepare your application the day before. Your Hotel will help with print outs. Be aware of public holidays. Have a flight booked for say Saturday. A monday morning submission means a wedensday afternoon pick up. Any problems they will phone you. Be humble. Also, it doesnt hurt to arrive at the Embassy 30 mins before opening on a Monday or Tuesday.

If they take your money (1700 Php for me) your chances are high. If applications fail you can normally fly in on a 30 day visa exemption, assuming your travel history isnt too crazy. No point in wasting the tickets.You Asian partner must have travelled before or they will examine the relationship to rule out pimping 😀.Once you are in Thailand money buys pretty much anything.

IMHO we got our TRs okay because our travel historys stacked up. Good job we didnt have new passports!

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What’s This All About?

This site is about Food, Beer, & Visas. Welcome to my world of travel, counterculture, and culinary adventures.

Who is Mark Blackard?

Well, I’m a badass cook in the kitchen and can certainly tear up a barbecue grill. I believe in free speech, less government, & cold beer. I’m currently a resident of Planet Earth and a Citizen of Nowhere. My books are available on Amazon and I run the most authentic travel show on YouTube called Overstay Road.